Crochet

Hi!  I'm Dana, and I love to crochet!  I would love to help you learn how to crochet, too! (A lot of exclamation points, I know... what can I say?  I'm excited! =D )  I will do the best that I can to give you all the information you need to create yarny works of art.  If there are things I left out and you want to know more about them (and by the way, it is inevitable that I will forget things) please please please let me know!  Nothing would make my day more than a comment or a message from you =)
Also, please know the crochet section of this blog is a work in process...

If I create any crochet patterns, I believe in sharing them for free with the world.  If other didn't do the same, I would either never crochet or be broke.  More likely never crochet, cause I'm stingy.  I will post new patterns to this blog and link them through my Ravelry account. My Profile Page is pretty dull, but there it is!

How to Read Crochet-ese

Crocheters definitely have a language of our own.  All patterns, at least all the ones I have seen, are written in a crochet-specific shorthand.  A lot of patterns posted online will be nice enough to include a list of abbreviations, but in case they don't, here's a list of basic abbreviations that should get you through most patterns.

beg = beginning

blo = back loop only

dc = double crochet

dec = decrease

dtr = double triple

f/o = finish off

flo = front loop only

hdc = half double crochet

inc = increase

rnd = round

sc = single crochet

sk = skip

sl st = slip stitch

sp = space

sps = spaces

st = stitch 

sts = stitches

tog = together

tr = triple crochet (a.k.a. treble crochet)

trtr = triple triple crochet

yo = yarn over

U.S. vs. U.K.

Believe it or not, here in the United States we read/write crochet differently than our friends in the U.K.  It will affect how your work comes out if you follow a pattern without noting its dialect.  Basically, if it is a British pattern, cut the stitches in half:

British: dc	=	USA: sc
British: tr	=	USA: dc
British: htr	=	USA: hdc
British: dtr	=	USA: tr
British: trtr	=	USA: dtr

Also, British patterns will use the phrase yarn over hook (yoh) instead of yarn over (yo) and miss instead of skip (sk).  I have only encountered this problem a small handful of times, but it is important to be aware.